Increasingly, electronic devices transmit and receive high-frequency electrical signals representing digital data. High-speed data transmission, such as so-called Ultra High-Speed (UHS) data transmission involves the transmission of data between electronic devices at rates of 1 to 10 gigabits per second using signal frequencies of 100 MHz to 500 MHz. There is a desire for future high-speed data transmission at even faster rates and at even higher frequencies. High-speed digital data transmission is facilitated by a data transmission system with a relatively high signal to noise ratio. One exemplary system includes a 1000BASE-T Ethernet network that includes category 5, 5E, 6 or 6A cables. Cables in such a system are designed to propagate data signals without exhibiting, inducing, generating or introducing appreciable noise in the data signals, and are terminated by electrical connectors at either end to either connect cables together, or to connect cables to electronic devices.
One wire-terminating connector designed for UHS data transmission is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/314,174, filed Dec. 7, 2011, titled “Electrical Connector for High-Speed Data Transmission” (“the '174 application”), which is assigned to the assignee of the present invention. Wire-terminating connectors such as those described in the '174 application do not address certain challenges associated with connectors of the kind that mount directly to a printed circuit board (PCB). Such board-mount (or PCB-mount) connectors serve as a connection point for coupling a wire-mount connector, or in some cases another board-mounted connector, to form a system of electrical interconnection between devices.
PCB-mount connectors are typically electrically connected to contact locations on the PCB via soldered or solderless unshielded contacts spaced closely together, which leaves the connector susceptible to crosstalk. Thus, a need remains for a board-mount connector with improved shielding features for reducing crosstalk, noise, and interference in high-speed data transmission systems, including shielding for adjacent conductors or pairs of conductors within the connector and at the PCB interface.
Some engineering applications require an angled PCB-mount connector mounted to a PCB along a first termination axis that is angled relative an interconnection coupling axis between the PCB-mount connector and a mating connector. Angled connectors include right-angle connectors, 45-degree connectors, and connectors of other various angles between the termination axis and the interconnection coupling axis. The present inventors have recognized that angled PCB-mount connectors present particular challenges for shielding adjacent conductors or pairs of conductors of the connector and at their interconnection to the PCB. A need therefore also remains for improved shielding in an angled board-mount connector.